One Single Minute
by Tragic Ophelia
Summary: It only takes one minute to change Lorelai and Rory's lives forever.


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A/N: Sorry, but no Rory/______ relationship. Actually, no relationship at all, for either Lorelai or Rory. And in no way am I a doctor.

She threw a shirt out of her suitcase, then another. And another. Finally she pulled out an espresso colored long sleeved shirt. She ironed it quickly and put it on over her white camisole. She buttoned it up and looked in the mirror. A short black skirt and black mules completed the ensemble. She ran out of the bedroom of the hotel suite and picked up her purse that was sitting on the coffee table. She grabbed her cell phone and pager from the desk, putting them in her purse, and then she picked up the car keys from the table by the door. Finally, Rory Gilmore was ready to go. She rushed out of her suite, sprinting for the elevator. She made one quick stop at Starbucks before getting into the rented blue Mustang, and speeding off for her meeting with the head of some hospital. Her cell phone rang, and she answered it.

"Yeah?"

"Gilmore!" said her boss, Greg Martin. As a reporter for Newsweek, Rory had worked for Greg. After she had quit her job there and gone to Paris for a year, she came back. When she returned, she had gotten a job with the Washington Post as a junior editor. Two weeks later, she finally found out that dear old Greg was her boss, again.

"What now, Martin?"

"You've got another assignment while out in LA. I want you to meet up with some actor. I'm faxing the info to your hotel as we speak," Greg said. At times he reminded her of Luke: soft on the inside, while on the outside he seemed cold. 

"Yeah, whatever. Will I be able to make it home in time for Christmas?" Rory asked. As much as she loved her job, she couldn't wait to go home. Her mom had told her that she knew something magical would happen at Christmas, and Rory didn't doubt it. Lorelai Gilmore was never wrong.

"If you get the interview out of the way quickly," Greg said. Rory rolled her eyes as she came to a stoplight. That was Greg for you. 

"Alright. I'll talk to you later, Greg," Rory said, hanging up. She grabbed her purse to put her phone up, and she tore her eyes off the LA freeway for less than a minute. That minute would probably be the deciding moment in her future.

****

Independence Inn, Stars Hollow

"Hello, Independence Inn. This is Michel. How may I help you?" Michel asked in his normal tone of annoyance.

"May I speak with Lorelai Gilmore, please?" asked a calming voice.

"I am not her keeper. Please hold while I find her," Michel said. A few minutes later, he found Lorelai in the kitchen with Sookie drinking coffee. "Lorelai, you have a phone call."

"Wow, no sarcastic remark! Do I win the bet?" Lorelai asked Sookie.

"I think so. Now, go take that call." Lorelai followed Michel back to the front desk and he handed her the phone.

"This is Lorelai Gilmore. How can I be of assistance?" she said professionally. 

"Ms. Gilmore, this is Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. We have a Lorelai Leigh Gilmore in our care as of this moment, and she has listed you as her next of kin for consent to perform surgery," said the voice.

  
"English, please? What's wrong with Rory?" Lorelai said.

"Ms. Gilmore, Rory has suffered massive trauma to the head. She was in an accident on the freeway earlier today. We need to fax this information to you as soon as we can, or she may not make it," said the voice.

"May I speak with her doctor?"

"Yes, let me transfer you," said the voice. 

"This is Dr. Johnson-Green. This is Lorelai Gilmore's next of kin?"

"Yes, I am Lorelai Gilmore. Her mother Lorelai. Dr. Johnson-Green, could you please tell me what happened?"

"Your daughter was involved in an accident. She hit her head on the steering wheel of the car, after the airbag did not deploy. She has swelling around her brain. If we don't go in now, she could die soon." said the doctor.

"Fax me the papers for consent," Lorelai said. She gave the number, then thanked the doctor and hung up. She told Sookie she would be flying out to LA, then rushed home to pack and head for the Hartford airport. When Lorelai arrived, she got a room at a Hilton in Los Angeles, put her suitcase in her room, and headed for Cedars-Sinai. When she got there, she found a nurses station.

"How can I help you?" asked the nurse seated there.

"I'm looking for Lorelai Gilmore. Or her doctor, Dr. Johnson-Green," Lorelai said frantically. She had spent half her flight worrying, and had actually fallen asleep for a few hours.

"Dr. Johnson's office is on the seventh floor. You can check up there," said the nurse. Lorelai got on the elevator, and headed straight upstairs. When she got to the office, she knocked on the door to the office. A few minutes later, a petite woman opened the door.

"I'm Dr. Johnson-Green. Please come in," said the woman.

"Dr. Johnson, we spoke on the phone. I am Lorelai Gilmore's mother," Lorelai said. "Please call me Lorelai."

"Nice to meet you, Lorelai. Call me Christy, please. Would you like information on your daughter?" 

"Yes, please," Lorelai said.

"I don't like saying this, but it doesn't look good. Even though we were able to operate, not all of the swelling has gone down. We're not exactly sure it will, either. Your daughter could be in a coma for awhile, Lorelai. Do you know who has the power of attorney?" Dr. Johnson asked.

"I do. Can I please see her?" Lorelai nodded, and Dr. Johnson led her to a room near her office. Lorelai went in, and sat down next to her daughter. She looked around. Rory was hooked up to so many machines. She looked small and fragile on the white bed. The sunlight came pouring in through the windows, making her seem pale. Lorelai stood up and shut the curtains to cast off some light. Lorelai sat back down and was sitting in silence for a few minutes.

"Rory... Please wake up. You're only 27. You shouldn't have to die!" Lorelai said. "Who else is going to beg Luke for coffee with me? Who else is going to listen to my rants on anything and everything? Who else is going to eat candy with me while watching Willy Wonka until we get sick?" Lorelai asked. She didn't expect Rory to answer, and Rory didn't answer.

****

Los Angeles, One Week Later

Lorelai had visited Rory everyday since then, sitting by her bedside, reading her books, telling her of the escapades of many of their neighbors. She had tried to get in touch with her parents, but Emily and Richard were out of town. Lorelai was getting ready, and she chose an outfit Rory would laugh at: the same outfit Lorelai had worn on Rory's first morning of Chilton. Lorelai laughed at the memory, and finally took a taxi to the hospital. When she got to Rory's room, she saw that it was empty. Worrying slightly, she went down to Dr. Johnson's office. She knocked on the door, and Dr. Johnson opened the door.

"Hello, Lorelai." 

"Hey Christy. Could you tell me what room Rory got moved to?" Lorelai asked calmly.

"Lorelai... I'm sorry to tell you this. Last night, Rory... The swelling got to be too much for her. Rory flat lined at 3:57 this morning. We called the code at 4:03 AM."

"The code?" Lorelai asked. After watching years of "ER," Lorelai knew what this meant. She was asking to see if it was true.

"Rory died, Lorelai. I'm so sorry for your loss," Dr. Johnson said. The doctor watched as the seemingly strong woman shook her head before bursting into tears. "Want me to call someone to make arrangements?" Lorelai nodded, and handed the doctor a number. Lorelai listened to her conversation with Luke, and when she hung up, Dr. Johnson said "He will be making the plans. Why don't you go rest?" 

Lorelai headed back for her hotel, and after a few hours of lying on the bed in her hotel room, she packed her things, grabbed the suitcases that had been delivered from Rory's hotel, and headed for Los Angeles International. She was going home to relay all of the information to everyone.

****

Hartford, Connecticut, A Week Later: Rory's Funeral

Lorelai and Christopher stood in front of the open grave and tenderly sprinkled a few yellow rose petals across the casket that had just been placed inside. Her black wool suit was warm, but it didn't keep her from shivering. He was wearing a black suit also, but he had tears streaming down his face, quite the opposite of Lorelai. It was a rainy day, just like it should be. Lorelai turned to sit down, and looked among the familiar faces. Dean was there, with his wife, Cindy. Madeline and Louise were there, sitting near Paris and Jess. Lorelai almost smiled as she remembered Rory telling her how Paris and Jess started dating. Tristan was there, and he had been adopted by Stars Hollow when Rory and Tristan were seniors in college, when they had been dating. They had broken up, but Rory and Tristan were still best friends. Lane was there, sobbing while Henry held her. Lorelai took her seat next to Emily, and finally started crying.

"Lorelai..." Emily said. Lorelai looked up, and her mother held out her arms. Lorelai welcomed the warm embrace, and let Emily hold her for just a few seconds. "You did a great job raising her. She was intelligent, beautiful, witty, and I'm proud of both of you," she finished.

"Thanks, mom. I'm going to go talk to Chris for a minute, okay?" Lorelai said. She walked over to Christopher, who was sitting with his sister Tava. "Tava, you mind if I steal Chris for a second?" When Tava shook her head, Lorelai led Christopher away from everyone. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her sooner. It just didn't occur to me... I'm so sorry Chris!" she said.

"Lorelai, it's okay..." he said, wrapping his arms around her. The pair was interrupted a few minutes later by Tristan.

"Lorelai, Christopher, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am. There's not anything I can do, I know, but call me if you need me," Tristan said. He turned to walk off before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned back around and Lorelai hugged him.

"There is one thing you can do, Tristan. Keep her memory alive," Lorelai said. He nodded, and walked off. The other guests gave their condolences, and before long only Lorelai was left at the cemetery. She walked over to Rory's grave.

"Hey babe. I know wherever you are, you can hear me. It doesn't seem fair to me to lose you so soon. Parents are supposed to die after your children! But no, you had to change it all round," Lorelai joked. "Of course, you always did seem like the parent. Did you hear what Emily said to me? She's proud of me for raising you. And she should be. You were beautiful, witty, intelligent, charming, loyal, brave, and kind hearted. Sweetie, I love you, and I always will. There is no way I could ever forget you. Your memory will always live on thanks to me, your dad, Tristan, Paris and Jess, and everyone else. Did you know Paris is pregnant? Maybe she'll name her daughter Lorelai. Anyway, wherever you are, I love you, and I hope your in peace," Lorelai said. She turned to head for the limo her parents had there, and she heard "I love you too, Mom."


End file.
